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This 1970 Lotus Elan S4 is for sale at BringATrailer.com. Photo by Bring A Trailer

Bring a Trailer exclusive: 1970 Lotus Elan S4

October 23, 2012

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The original Lotus Elan was one of the first commercial successes for the British company. It was produced from 1962 to 1975 and embodied Colin Chapman's “add lightness” credo, with a curb weight of just 1,500 pounds. Good examples are hard to find these days, which is why we were glad to see one with our friends at Bring A Trailer.

This 1970 Lotus Elan S4 is for sale in Maryland for $35,000. It underwent a six-year restoration and now looks showroom fresh, at least from the outside. The body was stripped to bare fiberglass, repaired, straightened and strengthened.

This car is ready to roll with a complete Spyder frame, Tony Thompson front shocks and Spax rears. The shock towers were rebuilt and straightened and the final assembly was inspected by an SCCA technician and race-car builder.

The seller says he has inspected, touched or changed almost every piece of the car. It was also on and off the chassis many times to test for straightness. The seller says he's been working on Lotus chassis for more than 30 years.

The interior looks good except for the seats. The seller says the headliner, door panels, wood dash, console and underside covers are all new. The gauges were rebuilt and the car was completely rewired, which is a process in itself.

The bottom of the engine was redone, as was the head. A new exhaust was installed along with a Pertronix ignition, a relocated coil and a converted alternator. Both Stromberg carbs have been rebuilt.

Check out more photos and get contact information for the seller at Bring A Trailer.